Marleau: 2018 budget supports key Michigan priorities

LANSING, Mich. — Sen. Jim Marleau said on Thursday that the Legislature has finalized a fiscal year 2018 budget that builds on a commitment to improving Michigan and investing in key priorities.

“For the seventh consecutive year, Senate Republicans have finalized the state’s budget months ahead of schedule, providing assurance for local governments and school districts when planning their own budgets,” said Marleau, R-Lake Orion.

Marleau, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services, said the budget enhances public health and safety.

“This budget has been crafted to eliminate wasteful overhead to help ensure that more of the services people need are funded,” Marleau said. “It seeks to provide more money to patients, particularly through the steps we continue to take to integrate mental and physical health delivery in the state.”

The lawmaker said the final budget increases state funding for schools to record levels and boosts economic development while making government more efficient and effective with taxpayer dollars.